Antetokounmpo scores 24 points, Bucks beat Hornets to sweep season series

CHARLOTTE, N.C, (AP) – Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 10 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks swept the four-game season series with Charlotte, beating the Hornets 111-99 on Thursday night to finish a home-and-home set.

Malik Beasley added 19 points – hitting five 3-pointers – and Bobby Portis had 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Bucks shot 16 of 39 from beyond the arc to give coach Doc Rivers his first four-game winning streak with the team.

The Bucks thrashed the Hornets by an average of 29.2 points this season – the largest margin in team history – after outscoring them by 38, 36 and 31 in the other three games. This game was closer, but not by much.

Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 21 points and Miles Bridges added 15 points and 10 rebounds.

It looked early on like it would be a replay of Tuesday night when the Bucks held the Hornets to 26 points in the first half en route to a 123-85 victory in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee jumped out to a 10-2 lead behind a driving dunk from Antetokounmpo to take control early.

The Hornets clawed back into the game late in the first quarter after Thanasis Antetokounmpo was whistled for a technical foul on the bench for arguing a non-foul call against his younger brother Giannis. Thanasis Antetokounmpo screamed at officials after a scramble for the ball under the basket involving his brother and Charlotte’s Bridges and Grant Williams. Antetokounmpo Giannis eventually came up with the loose ball and scored off the glass.

But the Hornets couldn’t sustain the momentum, as the Bucks closed the first half with a 24-10 run behind Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, who finished with 17 points, to build a 19-point lead.

Milwaukee shot 55% in the first half, including 9 of 18 on 3s, and was never seriously challenged in the second half.

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Bucks: At Chicago on Friday night.

Hornets: At Philadelphia on Friday night.

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